The Walking Dead Survivalism Chapter 3: Every Passing Day
by M.P. The Writer
Summary: After having found old friends and new members to the group, Michael and company decide to postpone their original plans. Instead, they stumble on what could possibly be a new hope for them, or a disaster waiting to happen.


Chapter 3:

Every Passing Day

"Hey, Rayne. It's been a while huh?" Came a voice from the shorter of the two guys that were standing in the doorway in front of everyone. Rayne stared open-mouthed in shock as everyone was surprised to see two people out of nowhere at their very apartment.

"Shit man…this is too crazy. How the hell did both of you survive, Vincent!?" Rayne asked the shorter of the two.

"Well, Jordan and I were leaving the movies when it all happened and couldn't even get over here at all. We mainly just moved around from place to place until we decided to come back here. Kinda had to hide a lot since we kept running all over the city looking for a safe spot." Vincent said weakly as he appeared tired from traveling so much.

"Lucky for us we decided to come back here. Got pretty dirty along the way with all the mud and shit we had to go through. We had to hideout in the woods for a few days. Not fun at all." Jordan said gesturing at his tattered clothes draped in dirt and mud.

"Well shit! It's still crazy you guys found us!" David said ecstatically.

"I hate to say it, but you guys might wanna get used to traveling a bit more since we all planned on heading to Galveston in the morning." Michael said apologetically.

"It's no problem for us. We've been getting a helluva workout these past few weeks just running around from place to place. As long as we get to walk instead of run for once we'll be fine." Jordan replied kindly as Vincent nodded.

"I suppose we can hold off on the introductions till the morning since you both already know half of us. As in David, Rayne, Jose, and I." Michael suggested.

"Not a problem at all." Vincent replied casually.

"Alright guys, well I think it's time we all get some sleep for once. Big day tomorrow." Rayne said while yawning as everyone obliged and began to get back to resting.

Vincent and Jordan found a spot on the floor next to where David was sleeping and used what they could from the supplies they carried in their backpacks to fashion a decent sleeping area for them.

Michael on the other hand was busy wracking his brain on how he'd deal with so many people joining his group so fast. He was already surprised as it is that he, Cesar, Terra, and Jose had all found several others so fast. Now he was faced with the task of being able to lead and account for the safety of them all. Knowing this, and still planning to make a few stops before they even came close to reaching Galveston, Michael laid his head coming to a different conclusion than that of what he had originally planned. He only hoped the rest of the group felt the same way in the morning.

Late that night, the same person that had followed Michael's group on the highway the day before had crept silently into the apartment complex with where they were taking shelter. Just as they had edged to the very door where Vincent and Jordan stood hours ago, so had this mysterious person. But before deciding to knock, the figure instead turned away…coming to the conclusion that now wasn't the best time to add any more unexpected visitors to Michael's group. At least not for now, they thought.

It was early in the morning when Michael awoke before anyone. He had not been able to sleep well as he kept waking up from nightmares about Sadie and his parents. Everyone had already introduced themselves to Vincent and Jordan, and was preparing to get ready to head out towards their next destination until Michael decided to have a meeting with them all once again.

"Alright, now I know I said we'd all head out to Galveston today, but I did a lot of hard thinking last night and believe it best if we maybe postpone going to Galveston for another few days. Maybe even weeks if the plan I have works." Michael said with a serious tone.

"What? Mike, what do you mean? I thought we had all agreed to go to Galveston together last night. What's changed your mind?" Cesar asked curiously.

"It's not that I don't wanna go, but I failed to mention to you all the stops I planned on making before we headed off to Galveston for good." Michael responded regretfully.

"Wait. So you're saying we weren't just gonna go straight there? That we were gonna make pit-stops along the way?" Asked Micah while Albert and the others exchanged puzzled looks.

"Well…yeah. I mean, it's not that I'm trying to keep holding us up on this…but I had a few more things to take care of." Michael spoke softly as he knew he'd gotten himself in trouble with holding out on everyone.

"So you're telling me we were gonna go by _your_ agenda before we actually stuck to what we planned in the first place…is that right?" David asked smartly.

"Look, right now you have no right to talk to me like that after what you did yesterday." Michael responded coldly.

David was just about to retort when Cesar cut him off.

"Look. Whatever Michael's reasons behind this, we should at least hear him out before anything else."

"Alright guys, look. The reason why I feel we should hold off on Galveston a bit is because there are still two places I need to stop at…to know the truth. About two people I still care about that I'm not sure alive or dead." Said Michael calmly.

All of them were quiet while waiting intently on Michael's next words. Jose was looking down quietly while Micah began biting his nails nervously.

"Ok…look. It's been a little more than a month since all this started. So what do we know? We know that after somebody dies, they come back unless killed, stabbed, or shot in the head. That's why I went back to my house the other day. I had a feeling my parents would be walking around my street. We know bites and scratches mean certain death for us. And we know that the only way we're gonna survive is if we stick together, find supplies, and a place to live and start a life." Michael spoke more indignantly.

Albert and Kassie nodded after hearing this, as they clasped each others' hands tight. Cesar placed his hand on Terra's shoulder as they continued to listen.

"Now that Vincent and Jordan joined, we need to focus on finding more supplies before we try to make any long trips like Galveston. The only way to do that is still search for places here in Houston we know might still have supplies. This is where one of the stops I was planning to make comes in. It's at my old job. Steel and pipe place. Has three big warehouses that are perfect to take shelter in. My friend Keanu might even be there too since I'm sure he was at work when this all started. Guy loved working overtime." Said Michael with half a smile.

Vincent and Jordan seemed keen on this idea after looking famished from running around constantly.

"But Mike, wait. Are you sure these warehouses won't be overrun with walkers or something? Plus, how do we know there will even be any supplies? What if people ransacked the place after this all started?" Cesar asked curiously.

"Not to mention those warehouses might just have walkers inside too. We'll have to clear them out if there aren't too many." Rayne interjected.

"I know, but that's why we're gonna at least try to go to the place and see what's left. If we can't find anything, then we'll move on. Simple as that. But I know where they kept all the paper towels, first aid kits, toilet tissue, water, everything. We'll be fully stocked for weeks. Maybe even a few months." Michael replied reassuringly while looking around at them all.

"Hmm, well that sounds like a decent plan as long as we can find shelter and not have to worry about running into a horde or something." Rayne implied.

"What do you think Cesar? I mean, Michael could be right, but I just think Galveston seems more sensible dontcha think?" David asked.

"Well, Mike makes a good point as far as gathering enough supplies before making any long trips, so I say we give this plan a shot but tread lightly. We still don't know what to expect once we reach these warehouses, so anything could be there to greet us." Cesar replied cautiously.

"Yeah dude, plus we still have to make sure we'll be able to even stay there if it hasn't been overtaken with walkers already too." Albert exclaimed.

"Wait." Micah spoke as everyone turned towards him.

"You said you wanted to make two stops Mike. We know the first one, but what's the second?" Micah stared towards Michael for a response.

"Well, regardless of whatever happens with our first stop, the next was going to be my friend Lauren's house. I remember she was supposed to leave for a music school in Minnesota right before all this happened. She might either be at her church, or her house. So that's where I planned on looking. I'll even go there alone if I have to. She's a very good friend of mine. Been close for years." Michael replied confidently.

"Are you sure you wanna risk going out alone just to find her though dude?" Albert asked curiously.

"Yes. I _have_ to. She's an amazing girl and has always been there when I needed someone. So I can't just leave knowing she might still be alive." Michael said defensively.

Everyone looked concerned but seemed keen on the first plan as far as searching the steel and pipe warehouses. Michael turned to Cesar for support as he was cut off before asking anything more.

"I know Mike. Trust me, you're worried about these people, and that's fine. But worry about _us_ first ok?" Cesar asked politely as Michael nodded in agreement.

"Look, we're all worried at what we have to face out there. Death surrounds us at every corner. But that doesn't mean we can't survive either. Every day we have to watch our backs, cover our asses, and sleep with one eye open. But it doesn't have to be this way all the time. Not every day." Michael spoke determinedly.

"We can find a better place. Even if this plan doesn't work out, we still have Galveston to look forward to. And if that doesn't work out then we'll keep searching. Simple as that." Michael spoke more confidently than ever as the entire group seemed to trust him with every sentence.

"Well then, I guess we should vote just to be safe." Cesar said.

David still looked a bit unsettled at this sudden change of plans as he had his arms crossed, while Jordan and Vincent seemed more accepting.

"So, all in favor of checking out this steel and pipe place before heading to Galveston?" Cesar asked as everyone but David raised their hand.

"Sorry Dave." Cesar added as David frowned.

"Alright then, it's settled. Let's gather everything we can that we need and head out in thirty minutes, or an hour at the latest. Might be a bit crowded in our cars now that we've got you two with us. Hope you don't mind sharing seats." Michael said as he turned towards Jordan and Vincent.

"Not at all. We'll go in the trunk if we have to. Just as long as we don't have to walk the whole way we'll be good." Jordan joked.

"Good. Now then, let's all get to it. We've got a long day ahead of us so-" Rayne cut Michael off before he could finish.

"Um, guys. I think we're gonna have to leave a lot sooner than expected." Rayne said worried while looking out the window with fearful eyes.

"What the hell!?" Cesar exclaimed surprised as he looked out the window from the apartment. Michael rushed over to see what they were staring at as his eyes grew wide with fear.

"What the fuck!? How the hell did so many of them get here overnight!?"

Michael said in disbelief.

Everyone had rushed to see what was going on as they all gazed at the gate that was now being slowly pushed to its limits as dozens of walkers were pushing against it. It was beginning to rock back and forth very heavily.

"We gotta go. NOW." Michael proclaimed loudly.

Everyone had filed into either Michael's car or Cesar's jeep. Jordan, Vincent, David, Rayne, Cesar, and Terra all rode in one vehicle. Michael, Jose, Albert, Kassie, and Micah in the other. They were all close to reaching the gate when Michael stopped his car while Cesar braked behind him.

"Think we can ram through the gate with all of them there like that?" Albert asked nervously.

"We're gonna have to try. You all still have your guns right?" Michael asked as they all nodded.

Jose looked nervous, but was ready nonetheless. Michael took note of this and decided to try calming him down.

"Hey, you good Jose?" He asked calmly.

"Y-yeah. Just wasn't expecting this many of them is all." Jose replied nervously.

"Don't worry Jose, we're gonna get out of this. We'll be alright ok? Just focus. Can you do that for me?" Michael asked while patting his shoulder for reassurance. Jose nodded.

"That's the spirit. Alright guys, lets give this a try. Hold on!" Michael exclaimed as he slammed his foot on the gas as they raced towards the gate. The screech of the tires echoed throughout the entire apartment complex.

Michael's car plowed straight at the gate, but once it reached it, the only success they had was tearing down the gate itself while knocking the walkers that surrounded it out of the way before getting stuck in the dozens of corpses. They stumbled over each other as they struggled to stand while Michael tried to reverse. He did all he could but the tires were caught in the remains of the dead, flinging blood and guts everywhere like mud.

Walkers had already begun clawing at the front of the car as the windshield was broken off. Albert and Kassie began firing to clear them out as best they could since they were both in the front seat, Kassie on Albert's lap.

"Shit! Fuck! Everyone, make every bullet count! We're gonna have to shoot our way out!" Michael shouted as they all drew their weapons.

"Dammit, I didn't think we were gonna have to do this so soon! I fucking suck at shooting!" Micah exclaimed.

"Well now's the time to make it count bro!" Albert shouted.

Jose was breathing heavily as fear showed in his eyes.

"Alright Jose, I know this isn't the best time or situation, but now's the time to really put your gun to use. Just pretend it's a shooting game!" Michael yelled as walkers began pounding on the windows.

Cesar's Jeep had pulled up right behind Michael's car as they all filed out and began shooting the walkers surrounding them. Jordan and Vincent had kitchen knives as Cesar, Terra, Rayne, and David all had guns and weapons already. They all began shooting, slashing, and shoving their way towards Michael's car. All but David, who was staying behind silently while trying to evade shooting as much as possible..

"David! Help us! Try aiming for the head!" Cesar shouted among all the hissing, gunfire, and chaos that was going on all around them. Vincent and Jordan were fighting back to back while waving their knives trying to stab as many of the undead as they could.

David moved forward slowly as he began firing into the crowd of walkers. Cesar covered Terra as him and Rayne cleared a path to Michael's car. They managed to clear the passenger side, as Albert, Kassie, and Micah rushed out to escape. They joined the firefight while Michael stayed behind to let Jose out first.

"Alright Jose, you first! I'll be right behind you!" He said as Jose rushed to get out of the car as his foot caught the back of the seat as he fell face first onto the pavement. His left foot still stuck to the bottom of the seat.

"Jose!" Michael shouted as he rushed to help him. Jose gasped as he let out a moan while trying to pry himself free until he saw a pair of walkers stumble towards him.

"Cesar! Rayne! Help him!" Michael shouted as he began firing at one of the walkers. It was too late as one of the walkers had fallen right on top of Jose and began knowing at the back of his neck, just as Michael was about to exit the passenger seat.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Jose screamed in agony as the walker tore at his flesh.

"NOOOO! JOSE!" Michael shouted as he fired a shot in the walker's head that was feeding on Jose's neck, blood and tissue spilling out profusely. Michael was just about to exit the passenger seat of the car to pry off the dead body from Jose until more walkers closed in while Cesar and the others were busy clearing out the rest. Michael receded back in the car and climbed out of the windshield that was already busted.

He climbed on top of the Camaro and jumped down to join Cesar and the others. Looking back at Jose's body in horror. Rayne had fought two walkers at once while shooting crossbows into both their eye sockets, putting them down. After a few minutes, all of them had cleared out the entire lot of walkers except for a few remaining crawlers. It wasn't until they all saw Jose struggling to get up that they knew he was already passed saving.

Kassie and Terra stood shocked as they both clasped their hands to their mouth while Albert and Cesar tried to comfort them. Rayne had a depressed look on his face as Jordan, David, Vincent, and Micah all stared in sorrow at Jose's body. His life fading away slowly at the amount of blood he lost. They all stood around him as Michael approached at the very front, tears swelling in his eyes as he knelt down to say his final words.

"I-I'm so sorry Jose. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I tried…I tried so hard to save you. I can't believe this happened…" Michael muttered as tears began rolling down his cheeks.

"It's…it's ok…" Jose uttered while spitting out blood.

"You…tried…Just…please. Make it to Galveston for me…ok?" Jose asked weakly.

"I will…I will. I promise. We'll make it there together. And we'll go to the beach and we'll all have a big campfire and dedicate it all to you. I promise Jose. I promise…" Michael said softly, his gun shaking in his hand.

"Good…then do it." Jose said softly as his eyes looked at the gun in Michael's hand.

"Do it. Please…" He asked as his eyes began to close further.

"Mike, I can do it if you want…" Cesar offered.

"No. I'll do it…I have to." Michael said as he slowly raised his gun while everyone said their goodbyes to Jose. Tears were more present than ever as Kassie and Terra were sobbing while Michael slowly pointed the gun towards Jose's head.

"Goodbye Jose. You were a great friend. We'll never forget you…and we're all gonna miss you. Goodbye…" Michael whispered as he closed his eyes and pulled the trigger. The gunshot sounded louder than ever as everything that followed after was complete silence. All but the sobs of Michael and the others could be heard, as he lowered his gun and fell to his knees in tears.

More walkers were beginning to come near as the gunshots had drawn them closer. Michael looked up in anger as he stood and made his way towards the walkers coming near them. He shoved the barrel his gun in one of the corpses' mouths as he pulled the trigger. The next he bashed its head in with the butt of his gun. He began killing as many as he could before Cesar grabbed him.

"Mike! Stop. That's enough…that's enough." Cesar spoke softly as Michael shook while still crying whatever tears he had left.

Cesar slowly led him back to his car as they all readied themselves to head out once more. Even more walkers began to show up, as they had to leave Jose's body behind due to the increasing numbers closing in once more. Michael drove as fast as he could away from that horrid sight, looking in his rearview mirror at the undead feeding on the remains of the shy guy Michael had met years ago in college. This was the second person he lost. And for that, he'd never forgive himself. Which is what made Michael more determined than ever to reach Galveston and fulfill his promise.

An hour later Michael and his group were driving along the 610 highway towards a street Clinton that held the location of their next destination. Everyone remained quiet on the way there, as Cesar followed closely behind while driving cautiously. The hot summer sun was beaming down as they passed by abandoned cars, buildings, and dead corpses. Micah was fumbling around with his gun, making sure the safety was on. Albert gripped Kassie tightly as they held hands tightly.

They exited, as Michael had to maneuver around overturned eighteen-wheelers and various empty vehicles. Clinton Street was dead ahead as Michael made a right and drove down no less than half a mile before turning right once more. Just as he did, they all gazed upon what once used to be Michael's old job. There were two gigantic warehouses about an acre and a half in size. A few more warehouses loomed in the background. Blood was on the sides of some of the walls as the street was also stained with red on some parts, indicating a previous slaughter weeks ago.

"Whoa. This place is huge man." Albert stated in disbelief.

"Yeah dude, I'm glad we decided to come here Mike. I'm sure we'll find some supplies and maybe even your friend Keanu you told us about, too." Micah exclaimed, trying his best to help Michael stay positive.

"Let's hope so. There are two warehouses, or plants as we called them. We'll be going to plant 55." Michael spoke softly as they drove a little ways down the road until they reached a gated entrance that had a small group of walkers gathered around it. Just as Albert, Kassie, and Micah were about to exit when Michael stopped, they looked shocked when they saw him raise his gun and shoot each of the walkers one by one. Most he shot clean in the head although he missed a few times, until none were left standing.

"Let's get that gate open." Michael spoke quietly as he pointed.

Albert, Kassie, and Micah all got out to pry the gate open enough for Michael to drive through. Cesar parked right besides Michael in front of the brown office trailer that stood before them. There were still a few walkers wandering around in the big yard that held about half a dozen empty trailers and trucks. Michael turned towards Cesar as he, Terra, Rayne, David, Vincent, and Jordan all filed out from Cesar's jeep ready for what Michael had to say next.

"Alright then. We're here, but as you can tell there are still some walkers that need taking care of. Think you, Rayne, and the others can search the perimeter and clear them all out while Albert, Kassie, Micah, and I search this officer trailer?" He asked Cesar intently.

"Sure thing Mike, we'll get right on it. Just holler if you need us. Or better yet, I'm sure we'll hear gunshots if worse comes to worse." Cesar said gravely.

"Thanks. We shouldn't be long." Michael reassured.

"Cool. Alright then guys, let's get to it." Cesar instructed as he led his half of the group out into the yard. He had David, Jordan, Rayne, Vincent, and himself all form a phalanx formation as Terra stood protected in the middle as they began slaying walkers. Michael and the others watched until they were all sure they were far away enough not to be noticed by any more of the dead.

Rhey all headed towards the office trailer, which had two doors to enter inside.

"We'll go in pairs. Micah and I will take the left door, you and Kassie take the right ok?" He turned to Albert as he nodded in acknowledgment.

"Sure thing man." Albert said politely.

"Alright then, we clear it out if there are any walkers and take whatever supplies we can. I still want to search the entire warehouse in case anyone survived. I'm sure Keanu might still be around here somewhere. He's a born survivor." Michael spoke in a serious tone.

Each of them took their places, as Michael gave the signal to count to three.

"Three!" He said loudly as both he and Albert burst open their door and entered.

They were all greeted with the foul stench of rotting bodies, blood, and remains of whatever, or whoever was left dead. Two bodies were in the left office, which Michael instantly recognized. One was the remains of the girl Jenn that handled processing orders, while the other was his former coworker Emmanuel. Their blood and guts littered the floor in front of them.

"Damn." Michael sighed.

"Did you know them?" Kassie asked.

"Yeah, used to work with one of them. The other just worked here in the office. Sad to see them like this, but at least someone put 'em out of their misery." Michael spoke softly as they noticed the bullet holes in each corpse's head.

"Hey, Mike? You were right man. There's plenty of stuff here. Paper towels, water jugs, gloves, hard hats if we need them. This place is loaded dude." Micah expressed confidently.

"Yeah, should be some extra rolls of toilet tissue in the restroom too." Michael gestured towards the bathroom door.

"Guess I'll check it out." Micah offered.

"Just be careful." Kassie said nervously.

"Here goes." Micah exclaimed as he thrust open the bathroom door only to cover his nose from the stench that greeted them all.

"Fuck man! This is unbearable!" Micah said loudly while the others covered their mouth from gagging. The restroom was occupied by yet another dead corpse Michael knew to be a former supervisor known as Tommy. He never liked him due to him being too bossy, but seeing him like this was far less than what Tommy deserved.

"Micah, quick. Grab whatever you can and close that door! Shit smells horrible." Michael ordered.

Micah did as instructed quickly as he rushed out of the restroom while closing the door with a half dozen rolls of toilet tissue.

"Nice. Thank God your job has so many first aid kits." Kassie exclaimed gratefully as she put some in the bag she had.

"Shit, they even have pain relievers too! I found some Tylenol in this first aid cabinet." Albert said gleefully.

"Wait. What was that?" Micah asked as everyone stopped what they were doing and heard footsteps coming from the stairs just outside of the trailer.

They each raised their weapons as Michael edged closer to the door where the footsteps were coming from. His gun raised, he waited till whoever it was turned the handle and opened the door as he pointed it forward. What greeted him was the biggest surprise he had hoped for.

"Well, I see you found the rest of the supplies." Said a hispanic guy the same size as Michael sarcastically with his hands raised.

"Keanu!" Michael exclaimed excitedly as he lowered his gun while rushing forward to greet him.

They both shook hands while patting each other on the shoulder thankfully as Michael finally cracked a smile after what seemed like ages.

"I'm so glad you're ok man. I had a feeling you'd still be alive, Keanu. Hell, you were always working so I knew you had to be here." Michael said jokingly.

"Heh, yeah. The question is, why the hell weren't you here? I mean, we had to work on the same day it happened I remember." Keanu said.

"Yeah, I remember. I was running late that day, because I was arguing with someone. Then chaos broke out and next thing I know I'm driving back to my house trying to escape with my parents and sister when…" Michael's voice trailed off as Keanu noticed the look of loss on his face.

"It's cool man. I get it." He replied, trying to sympathize while putting his hand on Michael's shoulder.

"So you're here by yourself then man? Or are there others around here with you?" Albert asked Keanu in order to change the subject.

"Nah man, my girl Isabella's also here with me. We got a pretty good set up here at Plant 55." Keanu replied confidently.

"Nice man. Isabella made it all the way over here? Didn't she work at that place off the Beltway?" Michael asked curiously.

"Yep. But luckily she had her car and rushed over to my job when it all happened. She ended up crashing into someone after trying to avoid everyone running in the streets. So she ran the rest of the way, which wasn't far since she was already close. Really glad she made it here in one piece." Keanu replied gratefully.

"Likewise man. I saw that Emmanuel and Jenn didn't make it out. Tommy too. Michael said gravely.

"Yep. It was bad Mike. Once we found out that you come back after dying or when you get bit you turn, we had to make some tough decisions. Even had to put Oscar down after he got bit. He could've helped us a lot, too." Keanu responded solemnly.

"Damn. Anyone else survive besides you and Isabella?" Michael asked.

"Actually yeah. Remember Robert?" Keanu questioned.

"No way. He made it? I'm surprised!" Michael replied shocked.

"He can be pretty fast for a big guy sometimes. He's actually out on a supply run right now. Plant 16 got hit hard with those things, so we've all been trying to clear out enough of them to get to more supplies so we can be fully stocked with everything." Keanu said.

"Well it's good to hear there are at least some survivors other than us around here." Micah added gratefully.

"Speaking of which, this all the people in your group along with the others clearing out all the dead outside?" Keanu asked while Michael and the others nodded.

"Kinda had to sneak over here so I wouldn't be noticed in case you guys were a gang of bandits or something. That's why I had Isabella stay hidden in the warehouse just in case while I checked things out." Keanu added.

"Oh, yeah. I almost forgot to introduce you all. This is Albert, his girlfriend Kassie, and Micah." Michael said as they all greeted Keanu kindly.

"Nice to meet you all." Keanu replied politely.

"So where's everything at dude? You still have your van and that Tristar C100 you always used to talk about?" Michael asked hopeful.

"Heh, yeah. Van's still intact. Been pretty low on gas, so if you guys could spare some that would help a lot. We've already got enough food at this place thanks to those extra vending machines they added to last us for a few more weeks. And that isn't including some of the extra food we saved and also managed to scrounge up ourselves." Keanu replied confidently.

"Nice man. Sounds like you're doing a way better job at surviving out here than we are." Michael said depressingly.

"Hey, it hasn't been easy for us either, Mike. We lost a lot of people as you already saw. Eric, Edgar, Brian, Gloria… all gone. I don't even know if my dad's still alive." Keanu spoke gravely.

"You're right. My group just lost one of our own today. You knew him too…it was Jose." Michael spoke softly.

"I'm sorry man. Jose may have been clumsy to me, but he was always a good friend. Sorry you had to lose him." Keanu replied apologetically.

"It's fine. Let's just see how the others are doing out there. Best we all make introductions since we could use some new faces to take our minds off of what we've had to go through today." Michael added.

"Shit, you and me both. We could use all of you to help us fix this place up. Maybe start a community here or-"

Keanu was cut off as everyone heard shouting and gunfire go off rapidly as they rushed outside to see what the commotion was, Michael leading the charge with Keanu following right by his side.

They had run across the truck yard and all around the side of another warehouse that had its bay doors closed until they finally walked around to see a disturbing sight. Cesar, Terra, David and Vincent were all huddled around an injured Jordan as he lay on the ground clutching his arm in pain. Rayne had his crossbow drawn on a large man who Michael recognized to be his old coworker Robert, who had a shocked look on his face as he shakily kept his gun drawn on Rayne.

"Robert, STOP!" Keanu shouted.

"Rayne, put down your weapon!" Michael exclaimed exasperatedly.

"You seriously want me to let this guy just get away with shooting someone!?" Rayne asked Michael angrily.

"Both of you, put your weapons down now!" Michael demanded heatedly.

"I will if he does first." Said Rayne through gritted teeth while Robert tightened his grip on his gun.

"Just put down your gun Robert. These are Mike's friends. You don't need to hurt them any more than you already have." Keanu told Robert carefully.

Robert slowly lowered his gun while keeping his gaze upon Rayne, who had also begun to ease his crossbows down slowly.

"Well fuck man! How the hell was I supposed to know these were your people Mike!?" Robert asked hotly.

"I'm sorry man. I had no idea you were here until Keanu told us just a few minutes before we heard all of this." Michael replied apologetically.

"Well can someone tell me what's going on here? Cause I have no idea what's going on at all." Robert said with a confused look on his face.

"Just calm down ok? Let's get inside the warehouse first and patch Mike's friend up before we ask any more questions." Keanu said to Robert indignantly.

"Hell, we already did the shooting part. Might as well ask question later anyways." Rayne said smartly as Robert shot him another dirty look.

"That's enough. From BOTH of you." Michael shot back as they all began to head inside of plant 55. David and Vincent helped carry Jordan inside as they all filed in as quickly as they could. Michael could already see a few walkers moving from the wood that surrounded part of the facility they were at. He assumed they must have heard all the commotion both groups had just caused. Just as he was about to go out to make sure they had gathered enough supplies to bring into the warehouse, the bay door had already closed shut as Keanu finished lowering it.

Everyone was huddled around Jordan as his arm was bleeding profusely. Keanu's girlfriend Isabella and Terra were both working on assessing the damage. Michael took the time to survey the warehouse they were in as he remembered how he spent so many hours working through the week at this place. The two burn tables stretched across from wall to wall with the machines around it powerless. All of the doors and access points were now blocked off by what could have only been done by the help of Keanu, Robert, and those that once lived before.

Michael also noticed two scrap trailers, two forklifts, a yard truck, and Keanu's beige Nissan Murano were all kept perfectly safe and untouched in bay 2. There were makeshift beds in Bay 1 where they were all gathered at currently. Michael was also reminded of how dark plant 55 was known to be as he gazed down the long warehouse seeing nothing but darkness past bay 2 with what he could only assume was empty with but just a few dozen ton metal coils he could make out from the shadows.

"Hold still!" Isabella barked as Jordan struggled furiously while she attempted to remove the bullet from his arm with her combat knife.

"N-no! Fuck! Aaaaahhhhh!" Jordan howled in pain as Isabella dug the blade deep within his arm and found the bullet. She plucked it out as more blood surged and squirted on her hands and face. The bullet flung a few feet from where Robert stood as he looked at it in disgust.

Terra was busy readying the bandage for Jordan as Cesar helped her. David stood shocked as he tried to find the words to comfort Jordan while Vincent kept assuring him he'd be ok. Albert, Kassie, and Micah all looked surprised at how well Isabella was keeping her composure while Keanu helped her with whatever supplies she needed from him. Rayne was still keeping his eyes fixed on Robert as he found any chance he could to glare at him.

"It's alright now. You're gonna be fine buddy." Isabella said calmly as Terra helped her wrap the last of the bandages around Jordan's arm after they cleaned his wound as best they could. Jordan barely managed to say, "thank you" before he passed out from exhaustion. Michael as well as everyone else looked at Jordan's unconscious body worried.

"He'll be fine." Isabella reassured them.

"I've done this before when shit hit the fan a few weeks ago. Keanu and I had hell on our hands to deal with, but I learned through pressure. Your friend will be alright, Mike. Probably be up in a few hours at the most. Just have some water handy for him. He'll need it." She added sternly.

"Wow. I just…thank you so much." Michael replied thankfully while shaking Isabella's hand.

"I had no idea you were this-"

"-Handy?" Isabella interrupted as he looked impressed at how well she was skilled at treating situations such as this.

"Yeah, she's always been good under pressure like this for some reason. Just makes me glad I still have her here with me to help out with shit like this. Otherwise I'd be fucked." Keanu said lightheartedly while giving Isabella a kiss on the cheek.

"Well I'm really glad we found you guys. I don't know what we could've done had this place been swarmed with walkers." Michael said reluctantly.

"Yeah, things went to shit pretty fast around here when it all started, Mikey." Robert chimed in. He was the only one who ever called Michael by the nickname "Mikey" at his job.

"Hey, why weren't you here at work that day it happened anyways?" Robert asked curiously.

"I'll have to tell you that later Robert. For now, let's get our cars inside here before it gets dark. I want to make sure we have everything we need inside before night falls." Michael spoke to everyone, as Robert looked confused as to why he avoided his question.

The group all gathered whatever supplies was left in the little office trailer as well as parked their vehicles inside the warehouse as the sun slowly began to set on that hot September day. Keanu and Isabella helped set up extra makeshift beds for Michael's group to stay in as the south side of the warehouse quickly filled up now that it wasn't just three people inside of it.

Cesar and Terra shared a corner together as it seemed quiet enough for them to get some decent sleep. Vincent was busy hovering over Jordan, constantly questioning him on his condition, while David lingered close by off to the side in his bed. Jordan began getting fed up after Vincent questioned whether or not he had a fever to which he replied, "Dammit Vincent. I'm fine. You're gonna give me a fever with how damn close you keep staying to me. I just need rest. Honestly, I'll be alright" Jordan reassured as Vincent frowned.

Albert and Kassie found a corner across from where Cesar and Terra were staying. They both lay next to each other after feeling so far apart from all that they've been through the past few days.

"I'm so glad we found this place." Kassie told Albert while holding him close.

"Me too babe. Mike may have his head all over the place with what happened today, but at least he did right by bringing us all here. This place is huge! I even saw another warehouse besides these two. It was in the back. Only caught a glimpse of it until all that shit went down with that Jordan guy." Albert said.

"Yeah, I saw it too. I wonder if there are any more walkers inside of them. Maybe we can let Mike know so that way we can start clearing this entire place out soon. If we're lucky we might even be able to make this place a small community one day." Kassie said hopefully.

"I know babe. Maybe one day. It's gonna take a while before that happens though. We still gotta make sure we have enough supplies at least for a few months before we make any plans to expand. Plus we still have to clear out the rest of this place too. For now, I say we count our blessings and just chill." Albert replied gratefully. Kassie smiled as they kissed and held each other while they rested.

Micah was busy helping Rayne organize all of the supplies everyone had gathered as they made small talk.

"So how did you and Mike meet anyways?" Micah asked while helping Rayne stack cans of beans in a cabinet.

"Mike? Man, him and I met off a dating website. Think it was called ' '. Right Mike?" Rayne joked as Michael flipped him off with a smirk. They all laughed with what seemed like the first time in weeks.

"Nah, we actually met at Denny's from our friend Rafa. Ever since then we just became friends and hung out whenever we could." Rayne replied.

"That's cool man. It's good to have you with us too. You're pretty sick with those crossbows." Micah complimented while Rayne nodded appreciatively.

"Yeah, I do a lot of MMA training so I figured, what the hell. Might as well add some wrist crossbows to the mix." Rayne chuckled as Micah continued to help him load supplies.

Michael was busy walking around the entire warehouse checking for any soft spots or any possible entry points in case any walkers were to sneak in while they were asleep. He carried a small flashlight, which he turned on once he began walking further down the northern part of the warehouse. It was pitch black aside from the little light Michael had with him.

He crept slowly as he passed the dozens of metal coils. The two cranes he once used to use off in the distance behind him where the rest of the group was. A third crane was just up ahead that Michael always remembered seeing but never used. He stopped in his tracks and listened for any signs of movement or sound. That's when he heard footsteps behind him as he gasped while pulling out the blade he took from the trunk of his car and wheeled around to greet whatever it was behind him.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Mikey, it's me!" Came Robert's voice as he held up his hands.

"Robert! What the hell are you doing over here!? You scared the hell out of me!" Michael said angrily.

"Sorry bro. I was just wondering where you had gone off to since I didn't see you around your crew. So I figured I'd look for your ass. Why the hell were you sneaking off like that anyways?" Asked Robert nervously.

"I was trying to make sure we were the only ones left in here. Searching for weak points…other possible ways inside this place. Hell, there could've been a walker hiding out back here slowly trying to crawl to our side of the plant for all we knew. I had to check it out over here to make sure everything was safe. So far so good I guess." Michael replied while trying to calm himself down after being caught off guard.

"Well let me know next time dude. You know I worry about your ass too. You're my little bro remember?" Robert said lightheartedly.

"Yeah, I know." Michael replied while patting him on the shoulder.

Robert had always referred to Michael as a little brother in a way. Michael remembered when he used to say that he'd have his back no matter what. Somehow he always believed this as Robert always helped him out every time they worked. Michael admired that about him. Because he was always on top of whatever work needed to be done.

"Well, if you're done over here, I think it's time we head back. I hear you're friends are making dinner. Should be some good shit since I'm starving anyways. Sucks that we gotta ration our food. Shit, I'm actually losing more weight that way now." Robert exclaimed jokingly as Michael smiled. For the first time in a while, Michael felt safe at a place like this.

It was later that night as everyone began heading off to bed after having had dinner. Keanu and Isabella were already resting comfortably beside the burning machine they had a bed close to. Rayne was standing next to the bay door keeping watch in case anything tried to get inside. David, Jordan, and Vincent all began to fall asleep as Jordan shuffled around trying to find a comfortable position to sleep without hurting his arm. Albert and Kassie were already busy cuddling as he stroked her hair gently while she slowly closed her eyes.

Micah had made his bed close to Michael's as he himself was already lying down while slowly drifting in and out of sleep. Cesar and Terra lay awake while quietly having a small argument over the future of their baby.

"All I'm saying is last I checked, it's already September and the baby's due in January. I don't wanna wait till the last minute to find a doctor." Terra spoke indignantly.

"I know that babe. But let's just try to focus on fixing this place up well enough to live here. That way once we know this place is safe; we can start looking for a doctor. I'm sure we can find one within a month or two if we look hard enough." Cesar reassured as he stroked her cheek gently.

"I guess so. I just don't want to wait too long. I'm already nervous as it is about childbirth. Then the fact that we have to raise a kid in hell like this…it's just…sad." Terra spoke solemnly.

"I know. It's not something I'd want for anyone, but as the days go by I know we can work towards something better. Whether it's a future for us all, or for the baby. Every day that goes by we can make things better for us somehow. I just know it." Cesar said confidently.

"I just hope you're right." Terra yawned as she smiled while slowly closing her eyes as Cesar kissed her on the forehead, wishing her a goodnight.

"Me too…" Cesar whispered quiet enough to where she couldn't hear him.

He let out a sigh. Knowing that he was uncertain what the future held for the both of them, as well as their baby. All Cesar knew was that this place that Michael brought them to was a very good start towards a promising future for them all.

Michael was busy keeping watch as Rayne had fallen asleep a few hours later. It was already past midnight as everyone was already fast asleep, yet Michael sat wide-awake with his arms resting on his knees. Robert walked over to him and sat beside him.

"Man, your ass never sleeps huh?" He asked chuckling.

"Not since all this happened. Not since everything happened." Michael replied solemnly.

"Shit really messed you up, didn't it?" Robert inquired curiously.

"Not exactly. I mean, I'm not gonna say it didn't fuck up my mind…cause it did. But it hasn't made me go crazy." Michael responded in a serious tone.

"Hey Mikey, don't worry about it bro. We've all had to go through some shit both before and after this started. We just gotta learn to deal with whatever crap comes our way, and move on. As the days go by it gets a lot easier I noticed. Maybe not with all those walkers, but having a place like this to call home and not have to worry about seeing those things all the time helps give you hope at least." Robert said hopefully.

"You're right man. It's just hard when you're the person who's elected to lead a group when you have no idea what the hell you're really doing half the time. Then I still think about how I lost my parents. How my sister sacrificed herself to save me. The little girl I lost downtown when we had a few of our other friends with us before they split off on their own. And then there was Jose…" Michael's voice trailed off as he fought back tears while he thought back to all of those he had lost. The ones he failed to save.

"Damn Mikey. I had no idea you lost so many people. I'm sorry to hear that. What happened downtown? And what about your friend Jose? I heard from Keanu and your friend Cesar earlier about that, but I wanted to hear it from you instead." Robert said indignantly.

Michael sighed as he retold the story of how he lost his parents and sister. About how he returned to his old house and found his parents so that he could put them down once and for all. He also recounted how his brother was still missing, how he failed to save Sadie, how James and the others decided to leave instead of remaining under Michael's leadership. And finally how he lost Jose. All of this he blamed himself for.

"And that's what happened. That's why we're here now." Michael finished as Robert looked shocked.

"Wow. I-I'm sorry you had to go through that dude." Robert responded apologetically.

"It's fine. Nothing more we can do but just move on I guess." Michael replied sadly.

"Well hey, look at it this way…we're still alive. _You're_ still alive Mikey." Robert reassured.

"But at what cost? At what point is it even _ok_ to be alive after what's happened?" Michael asked with a sense of desperation in his voice.

"That's something you just gotta ask yourself bro." Robert answered quietly.

"You never told me why you didn't make it into work that day." He added.

"You really wanna know?" Michael asked.

Robert nodded as Michael let out a big sigh before asking him the question that was burning on his mind.

"Have you ever lost someone you loved? Have you ever had to give the one person you love the most up in order to save them?" Michael questioned curiously.

"I have. I think about her every day too. It was my ex wife. I loved her, but she just wasn't for me. She didn't wanna change into a better person, so I had to let her go. Then she comes back after a while trying to win me back. It was too late for that though." Robert said gravely.

"Take it from a guy who's already lived half his life Mikey. I'm in my forties, already been through two ex-wives, and five bad relationships to tell you that if you cut someone out of your life…they'll come back. Trust me, they will. You make them feel like you're gone forever to them, she'll come back begging for you to be with her." He reassured as Michael felt more at ease from what Robert was telling him.

An hour had already passed since they first started talking as the small flashlight they were using for light remained on with a faint glow. Michael continued his story.

"That day it all happened…the day _this_ all happened." Michael said as he gestured out with his arms towards everything around them.

"I was arguing with the one girl I loved the most. First girl I truly loved in 7 years." Michael said gravely.

"Her and I met through a friend I used to have on that social networking page everyone used to be on. Started talking and we clicked instantly. Even gave me her number on the first day. Didn't even have to ask her. We were that close already. But then, shit happened. She was still hung up on an ex she used to be with for years, and she was also with a guy she didn't want but who was obsessed over her. Sure enough after the first few weeks…or month, I won her heart. Said she loved me, all that bullshit. We never met, but it's the promise she made to me she ended up breaking that killed me the most inside…" Michael trailed off as he looked down sadly.

"She fucked me over. Big time. I never forgave her after that. I tried. I offered to work things out. Said I'd be willing to still be friends, try to see if we can still be more than friends in the future if she'd just be willing to do one thing for me. I told her to stop talking to someone I didn't trust. I gave her the choice, but she took it as me being controlling. Thought I was giving her an impossible ultimatum when it was just a simple thing. Either way, she chose wrong." Michael sighed.

"That's who I was arguing with that day it happened. I was on the phone with her, and said goodbye forever. Told her I had to let her go, not because I was being controlling…but because I was trying to help us all. Not just me, but herself as well. She was leading someone else on as well as myself. And I wasn't going to stand for it any longer. So I said goodbye. That was the hardest decision I ever had to make in my life…until what I did the other day by putting down my parents." Michael finished while wiping away a few tears.

Robert sat quietly for a while before saying anything back. A few minutes had passed before he decided to reply.

"Listen Mikey, I'm sorry you had to go through that…but you made the right choice." Robert reassured.

"I just wish I didn't make it sound like it was goodbye forever. It's never truly goodbye forever." Michael replied solemnly.

"Of course it's not bro. Trust me, she would've come back eventually. It was probably just too soon for her to realize she needed to make some changes in her life. It really just takes a lot of time for anyone to decide they need to change for themselves. But one day it'll happen. If they really love you, or if they really care about becoming a better person, they won't change for you or for anyone else…they'll change for themselves." Robert spoke confidently.

"I did it. Gave up drinking after 25 years. Haven't touched a bottle since. No beer. No alcohol at all." He said proudly.

"That's really good man. I'm proud of you." Michael replied gently.

"What made you give it up?"

"Just got tired of it man. I started drinking ever since I was sixteen years old. After 25 years, you just get tired of it. Made me gain all this weight. Turned me into a monster when I was drunk. And caused me a lot of pain. Plus, the hangovers were killin' me after a while." Robert chuckled as Michael cracked a smile.

"Then I found God. Started going to church right before all this happened. I felt a lot happier too. I'm sure whatever the hell caused this wasn't just an act of humans, but an act of God too. Of course, I'm not one to get all biblical and shit, but not everything is just science." Robert said while Michael listened intently.

"Hell, I even started wearing this." He spoke hopefully while holding up a silver necklace with a golden cross on it.

Michael stared at it as he clutched his own necklace which had a black cross with a silver outline on it. His grandmother had given it to him years ago which he still remembers so fondly.

"That's a very nice necklace man." Michael complimented kindly.

"Thanks. It's kept me alive for this long I suppose. Might as well cherish it as much as I can." Robert replied lightheartedly.

"You know, maybe when this is all over. Or if we can at least make this place into a safe enough community, you and I should go to a church. Or even build a small chapel inside this place if we can. Make people feel like there's still hope even if not everyone's a believer, ya know?" Robert suggested hopefully.

"That's actually a pretty damn good idea man. I'll gladly take you up on that offer too. Hell, I'm sure enough people would say I need Jesus anyways." Michael joked as they both chuckled quietly so that they wouldn't wake anyone up.

It was already early into the morning, as both men had stayed up talking and sharing stories with one another. It wasn't until Michael was finally beginning to want sleep that Robert asked him the one question he didn't feel like answering yet.

"So Mikey, you never told me…but what was her name?" He asked while waiting intently for Michael's answer.

"The girl I let go?" He asked as Robert nodded for an answer. Michael let out a long deep sigh before he began to speak.

"Well…her name was-"

BOOM!

Just then, the walls of the entire warehouse shook as everyone including Michael sprang up wide-awake. Michael himself stood up out of shock as Robert followed closely after. Whatever had caused that loud boom; it was heard once more as the walls shook yet again from the loud bang. Everyone was now on their feet as they all rushed towards Michael and Robert for answers. Jordan was still lying down while Vincent helped sit him up.

"Mike! Robert! What the hell was that!?" Keanu asked surprised while Isabella gripped his hand tightly.

"I have no idea!" Robert exclaimed frantically.

"Hell if I know, but we gotta see what the hell's going on, and fast! If there's someone or something out there causing all this noise around here, that's gonna attract a lot of walkers over here…and fast." Michael said nervously.

"Well who's gonna go out and check to see all the commotion?" Asked Keanu.

"I'll go. I'll need at least another person or two to cover me just in case. Have two people at the gate ready to let us in and out and to guard it at all times in case we're getting attacked. Whatever keeps causing this isn't too far off if it's making the walls rumble." Michael said quickly.

Everyone began filing out into the yard when Michael noticed a group of a dozen walkers gathered over the North side of the warehouse where their cars were stored. More walkers must have made it out of the woods overnight from behind the facility Michael noticed. There were even more of the dead huddled around the gate when Michael, Keanu, and Cesar arrived in Keanu's van.

"Alright. Rayne, Robert, and Albert…you three take care of any walkers both inside out outside of here trying to get in! Us three are gonna go check out where the hell all the commotion is coming from." Michael said as everyone readied themselves for attack.

"You three be careful!" Albert said as he, Rayne, and Robert began taking out the dead that surrounded the outside of the gate.

"We'll be back as soon as we can!" Michael yelled back as he shot at the remaining walkers clawing towards Keanu's van. Cesar helped assist him.

"It sounds like it's coming from the 610 bridge." Keanu said loudly as they sped along the road leading towards the highway.

"Holy shit! It IS coming from the bridge! Look at that!" Keanu exclaimed surprised.

Cesar and Michael's eyes widened in shock as what they saw nearly made their jaws drop. A tank was barreling down the 610 bridge and onto the highway with a massive horde following behind. It blasted a hole through the horde every so often as it proceeded forward, crushing abandoned cars and bodies alike. Nobody could see who was inside, but the tank was causing so much noise the blasts wouldn't stop. It kept moving forward without stopping for anything.

"We should try to signal it for help! It could be the Army! Or the-"

"No." Michael interrupted Keanu as he pointed towards the hundreds of walkers marching behind the tank on the highway.

"Whoever's inside that thing obviously isn't stopping anytime soon. Plus, we try to get its attention means we'll also get the attention of all of them too." Michael stated gravely.

"But what if they're going towards a safe zone?" Keanu asked.

"Even if they are, it's too risky to go after them and leave everyone else behind. We don't even know if they're friendly or not." Michael rebutted.

"We should probably head back to see if everyone else is alright." Cesar added as all three of them hopelessly watch the tank move off slowly in the distance as it blasted its way through wreckage and walkers.

The three of them sped back towards Plant 55, which they arrived at within minutes. What they were greeted with made their stomach twist into knots. Keanu stopped directly in front of the gate as they all gasped in horror at what they saw. Hundreds of walkers flooded the entire truck yard they had only left but ten minutes ago. Rayne, Robert, and Albert were seen fighting and shooting their way through them as they tried to keep the gate and the warehouse protected.

"Where the fuck did they all come from!?" Keanu exclaimed shocked.

"Hurry! We'll plow through them! Cesar, open the gate!" Michael instructed as Cesar followed suit.

Keanu raced forward while hitting a few walkers and running over whatever was left of their corpses. Michael was shooting from the passenger seat as they drove to meet up with Rayne and the others; Cesar running behind closely.

"How the hell did this happen?!" Michael demanded as he looked to Rayne and the others for answers.

"Shit got crazy once you three left man! Albert and Robert were guarding the gate while I went off towards the back to check the other blocks, and sure enough once I turned a corner to one of the warehouses, I saw a fucking horde of those things waiting on the other side coming from the woods! All that fucking noise we heard earlier must have attracted them!" Rayne shouted over all the gunfire.

"Fuck! No, it's not just that! There were a shit load of them at Plant 16 that Robert, Isabella, and I tried to keep contained! Fuckers must have torn down a door or something!" Keanu replied.

"What about the others? Are they safe?" Michael asked worried.

"They're fine man! I ran back to tell them to stay inside until we cleared all of them out! Or until you guys came back to help!" Albert shouted back.

"No! We're going to have to evacuate! Look over there! They keep coming and they're not gonna stop either!" Michael yelled as he pointed to the dozens of walkers continuing to pour out from the backside of the D block warehouse.

"Mike's right! Even if we hold up in here tonight, we won't be able to come out because we'll be trapped with all of them surrounding the doors. They'll have this place covered in just an hour!" Cesar said.

"Then let's go man! Lead the way!" Rayne yelled as he jabbed a knife through a walker's jaw into its skull.

They all fought their way towards Plant 55 as they banged on the bay door for someone to let them in as the walkers crept closer. Micah opened the bay door just enough for them all to duck under as Cesar closed the bay door quickly before Micah could do anything more.

"What the hell's going on!? Mike, what's happening out there? Are we getting attacked?" Micah asked worried.

"Never mind that right now! We're about to get surrounded by a shit load of walkers if we don't leave this place now!" Michael said loudly as everyone inside the warehouse gasped.

"Everyone! Pack up only what you'll need to survive on for the next few weeks and get into your cars now! I'll open the bay door on the North side but I'm gonna need some cover since those things will be all over the north bay door within seconds! We'll rendezvous right by the 610 highway! Come on now, let's go!" Michael ordered as everyone began packing as fast as they could.

It only took about ten minutes until everyone was filed into their vehicles. Once everyone was ready, Michael began opening the bay door as he could already hear the hissing and growling of corpses clawing their way towards him. Gunshots began going off as bullets whizzed by his head as he waited for the door to slowly open. Corpses were falling near his feet as blood splattered everywhere. Just as the bay door was raised high enough, Michael sprinted as fast as he could towards his car where he joined Micah, Albert, and Kassie.

"Let's go!" He said as they all sped off into the yard, hitting, shooting, and running over the dead while trying their best to escape.

"Mike! Behind us!" Micah shouted as they all turned to see that Keanu's van had gotten stuck in a pile of dead walkers. Robert had rushed out to help move the vehicle as Keanu, Isabella, Jordan, and Vincent were all busy trying to keep walkers away from them.

Michael turned back as well as Cesar as they all rushed to help Keanu out. The crowd of walkers was growing quicker as they began closing in on them all. Everyone was now fully immersed in combat as they tried to make their way towards Keanu and the others. David was among the closest as Cesar, Terra, and Rayne followed closely behind.

"David! Make sure you help Robert get that van out of that pile! AND DO NOT LEAVE THEM BEHIND!" He demanded.

David ran nervously towards them before being met by a pair of walkers. He slowly backed away and shot at them while missing a few times before they were down for good. But that was when he saw another walker creep up behind Robert and bite him in the neck.

"AAAAHHHH!" Robert screamed in pain as blood began gushing out of his neck.

"Robert! NO!" Michael shouted as he tore through crowd of walkers towards Robert. He knelt down beside him as Robert tore of the necklace he had shown Michael the night before.

"T-take it…" He said while placing it in Michael's hands.

"Give it to someone who needs it…" Robert sputtered as he began losing consciousness.

"Robert…no…" Michael said as he began shaking.

"Mikey…you'll be fine…just keep going. You have to move on…we _all_ have to move on…" Robert spoke softly as he took his last breath.

Michael gripped the bloody necklace tightly in his hand as he pulled out his gun once more. He aimed it straight at Robert's head, as he turned away and fired. Never letting his eyes leave the necklace he held in his hand so tightly.

"Mike! Come on man! We gotta go!" David said as Michael slowly returned back to the present. Vincent and Jordan had joined them.

"Keanu told us to come with you guys! Said Jordan was just a sitting duck with them in the van with him being wounded!" Vincent exclaimed.

Just then, Keanu and Isabella reversed so fast that they finally freed themselves from the bloody pile. But Keanu had reversed too much that they went as far back as to the warehouse as they back into the bay door, sending it crashing down on top of their van. Both Keanu and Isabella quickly got out as Michael ushered Vincent and Jordan back to his car with David lingering behind as he looked back. Michael turned back just in time to see what was happening before he shouted at David.

"David! Help them out while Vincent and I get Jordan in Cesar's car!" Michael instructed, as David stood frozen in place once more. He slowly raised his gun as he fired as best he could at the dozens of walkers closing in on Keanu and Isabella. But he was already petrified from fear as he slowly began to back away until he ran towards Michael and the others.

"I'm sorry! There's too many!" David said as he ran past them towards Cesar's car.

"David! You son-of-a-bitch!" Michael shouted as he tried to go back to Keanu before Vincent decided to stop him.

"No!" You'll end up dead for sure if you go back now! And I need you to help me carry Jordan back to the car!" Vincent demanded.

"Fuck!" Michael yelled as he helped lead Vincent and Jordan towards Cesar's car. He looked back as he saw Keanu and Isabella disappear into the warehouse as dozens of walkers flooded inside. All he could hear was screaming from what sounded like Isabella until he heard gunshots, and then nothing more.

Everyone sped off towards the highway once more, as Michael had one hand on the steering wheel, while the other still clenched the necklace Robert gave him. Just as quickly as it had started, it had ended. It was over. The promising sanctuary they now had was gone within an instant. Michael felt that sense of guilt once more, as he hated the fact that he knew nothing about what happened to the one friend that took him and his group in when they had nowhere else to go.

Now for all he knew, Keanu and Isabella were dead, or trapped. And he had no way of finding out as the entire place was now swarmed with them. Michael couldn't help but feel that the man that told him to move on and helped him believe in hope once again was the very reason that made him feel dead inside once more.


End file.
